Addendum to Environmental AssessmentOctober 23, 2007
City of Kalispell Planning Department
Attn: Sean Conrad
17 2nd Street East, Suite 211
Kalispell, MT 59901
RE: Response to completeness review for Glacier Town Center
Dear Sean:
This letter includes responses to the completeness review for Glacier Town Center. As agreed in
discussions between CTA and your office on September 24, 2007, the responses (in normal font)
to your completeness review (in italics) are being submitted in the form of an Addendum to be
attached to the original submittal materials. Where responses are to Environmental Assessment
issues, they are provided in part as an addendum to the Environmental Assessment. Specific
responses have been made to each specific point or request for additional information. They, in
addition to the earlier submitted materials should be considered responsive to the issues raised.
As mentioned in previous discussions, Wolford's legal counsel is of the opinion that we are
providing materials far in excess of the statutory requirements. However, the applicant feels that
this information will facilitate a thorough review of the proposed project by the City and the
public. Therefore, the applicant is pleased to provide the requested information.
• The location of all section corners or subdivision corners pertinent to the subdivision boundary
needs to be included on the preliminary plat in accordance with Section LB of Appendix A of
the Kalispell Subdivision Regulations.
These data will be provided under a separate cover from Smith Surveying.
• The exterior boundaries of the tract to be subdivided including bearings and distances sufficient
to locate the exact area proposed for subdivision needs to be included on the preliminary plat
in accordance with Section L C of Appendix A of the Kalispell Subdivision Regulations.
These data will be provided under a separate cover from Smith Surveying.
The width of the right-of-way for Whitefish Stage Road, West Reserve Drive and Highway 93
need to be shown on the preliminary plat in accordance with Section I.F of Appendix A of the
Kalispell Subdivision Regulations.
These data will be provided under a separate cover from Smith Surveying.
• Names of any adjoining platted subdivisions and/or numbers of adjoining Certificates of Survey
on record in the Office of the Clerk and Recorder needs to be shown on the preliminary plat in
accordance with Section II.A.4 of Appendix A of the Kalispell Subdivision Regulations
These data will be provided under a separate cover from Smith Surveying.
After reviewing the environmental assessment in accordance with Appendix B of the
Kalispell Subdivision Regulations the following information is needed. -
Signatures from Wolford Development, LLC, CTA Architects Engineers, and Hyalite
Environment, LLP on the signature page (page 27) of the environmental assessment
Original signature pages are included with this transmittal,
Part I, Section 6. c states, "Describe the present uses of lands adjacent to or near the
proposed development. Describe how the subdivision will affect access to any adjoining
land and/or what measures are proposed to provide access. " How the subdivision will
affect access to any adjoining land and/or what measures are proposed to provide
access is not discussed.
The 485-acre Center will be located in an area bordered by four major roads: U.S.
Highway 93 to the west, Whitefish Stage Road to the east, West Reserve Drive on the
south, and Rose Crossing, which bisects part of the development to the north. The
developer is the primary landowner in an area essentially surrounded by major public
roads, which lessens the impact on access to adjacent lands. Owners of land adjacent
to the Glacier Town Center access their properties through direct access to these same
roads, and none of those roads will be altered in a manner that would impede this
access.
As part of the Glacier Town Center, the developer proposes to extend Rose Crossing
west from Whitefish Stage Road to U.S. Highway 93, at his expense. This will
provide area landowners with a convenient highway access, and creates a much
needed signalized intersection in a rapidly developing area. The applicant is
informed that land to the north will probably become a residential development in the
future and contemplates connection to that area; thus, the Rose Crossing access may
reduce the need to create additional highway accesses to/from that land. The Rose
Crossing extension will also benefit a multitude of other landowners who reside east
of Whitefish Stage and travel west on Rose Crossing to access Kalispell or Whitefish.
Currently, these landowners must turn off of Rose Crossing onto Whitefish Stage, and
then travel south to West Reserve Drive or several miles north on Whitefish Stage
Road. The Rose Crossing extension will be the second east -west direct connection
between U.S. Highway 2 and U.S. Highway 93, along with West Reserve Drive.
Landowners to the north also gain additional accesses to their property through
Glacier Town Center via the two proposed accesses as shown on the Development
Phasing Map labeled Exhibit "J" in the application.
3. Part I, Section 6. d states, "Describe the basis of the need for the subdivision. How
much development of a similar nature is, or is not, available in the area?" The
environmental assessment needs to cite recent commercial and residential
subdivisions in the area (i.e. Spring Prairie, Hutton Ranch, Starling, and Silverbrook)
and answer the first part of this question.
The first phase Preliminary Plat includes commercial development. Subsequent
phases will provide a mix of commercial and residential development. The applicant
believes there is a market for commercial and residential development in the proposed
location, and currently has national retail partners prepared to open retail stores in this
location. While there has been substantial residential and commercial growth in and
around the subject property, such as Spring Prairie, Hutton Ranch, Starling,
Silverbrook, and Mountain View Plaza, there continues to be a demand for
commercial development and housing (see "Kalispell 2006 Construction, Subdivision
and Annexation Report," as cited on page 15, Appendix B of the original submittal
package). The City of Kalispell serves as the primary urban center in the growing
Flathead Valley. As such, the City is in a strong position to continue to have a need
for development of the nature proposed in this project.
With the addition of Mountain View Plaza (approximately 55 acres), Spring Prairie
(approximately 117 acres), and Hutton Ranch (approximately 45 acres),
approximately 217 acres of commercial property is at or rapidly approaching full
build -out in the Kalispell area. This means that future areas for major commercial
development must be provided, and the Glacier Town Center location is precisely
where the City of Kalispell wants to place the next new wave of development.
Goal Two of the Kalispell's Highway 93 North Growth Policy Amendment is to
develop "a fully -integrated residential/commercial neighborhood (Designated KN-1
on Growth Policy Map) between US 93-Reserve Drive and Whitefish Stage." See,
City of Kalispell Growth Policy at p. 80. The Amendment designates 600 acres
between US 93, Reserve Drive, and Whitefish Stage as "KN-1," which provides for
45% general commercial (270 acres), 25% urban mixed use (150 acres), 20% in
various residential configurations (120 acres), and 10% in open space (60 acres). See,
City of Kalispell Growth Policy at p. 80.
The Glacier Town Center has been designed with an understanding of these broad
goals; it is an appealing, well -designed, fully -integrated development consisting of a
mix of uses, including general commercial, urban mixed use, various residential
configurations, and approximately 72.3 acres of open space (which exceeds the City's
recommendation for the entire 600-acre KN-1 area), that will enhance the Flathead
Valley and meet the needs of a continuously growing community.
Although approximately 1,000,000 square feet of new commercial development has
occurred in this immediate area in the last 7-8 years, more commercial development
is waiting to occur. Major department store tenants want and need a new facility in
this market where they can grow and locate their business. The Glacier Town Center
project will provide a location for future commercial growth, and do so in a
comprehensively -planned manner that contemplates connectivity within and around
the property, future residential growth, and parklands.
4. The information required in Part A Section 3.a is not included in Table 1 of the
environmental assessment as referenced on page 19. This information appears to be
in Table 1, Residential Density, in section 4, Planned Unit Development, on page 12
in the project application. If this is the Table I referred to in the environmental
assessment please cite it's location in the application.
The above referenced Table 1, Residential Density, in section 4, Planned Unit
Development, on page 12, does contain information regarding the number of units,
acres, and density of the residential portion of the project.
The following Table 2: Commercial/Office Development is provided to supplement
information regarding proposed commercial lots and acreage. This table includes all
proposed commercial lots under the Phase 1 Preliminary Plat.
Table 2: Phase 1 Commercial/Office Development
Phases
TOTAL
LOTS
TOTAL
ACRES
Phase 1
37
139.2
S. Please provide a discussion on the additional costs which would result if the
proposed project is approved to services such as roads, parks and recreation, fire
protection, and schools and busing as required in Part II, Section 3. b. i. Also, please
provide a discussion on Section 3. b. iii.
There will be additional costs associated with services to be provided to the subject
property. These costs will be offset by additional revenue from taxes and user fees,
including impact fees assessed on new development. Commercial and mixed use
development has been shown to provide positive net fiscal benefits to urban
communities when compared to low -density, single family residential sprawl.
The applicant anticipates providing additional data concerning cost / benefit analysis,
or fiscal impacts, of the proposed project prior to public hearings.
6. Provide a discussion on Part II, Section 3.c.
The application proposes a number of road upgrades in and around the subject
property, primarily to Whitefish Stage Road, West Reserve Drive, and US Highway
93. The specifics of these improvements will be addressed as the project moves
through the review process and public hearings. The applicant is working closely
with the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) to determine the
improvements to state highways that will be necessary to mitigate impacts from the
proposed project. The Glacier Town Center proposed to improve Rose Crossing
between Whitefish Stage Road and U.S. Highway 93, providing a critical East/West
connector link to facilitate traffic movement in the vicinity of the project. The Traffic
Impact Study included with the application material provides a detailed discussion of
traffic, and should be referred to with regards to this discussion.
The Glacier Town Center's trail systems expand an important community service.
These trail systems will be adjacent to an existing bike path that runs north from
Lawrence Park along Whitefish Stage Road, turning west on West Reserve Drive,
then north up Highway 93. The addition of Glacier Town Center's trail systems
means the community will be able to travel, uninterrupted, on miles of extra trails.
This will also result in some reduction of motorized vehicular traffic and in the
likelihood of car -pedestrian accidents.
The Glacier Town Center will connect to a water/sewer main that services
Silverbrook Estates, a residential area north of the Center. It is our understanding that
this main pipe is considerably larger than necessary to serve that development, which
means that the main's efficiency could be further maximized by getting it closer to
operating at capacity. The Glacier Town Center's connection contributes to a more
efficient use of this main.
Additionally, a municipal sewer line stops southeast of the Glacier Town Center, at or
near Evergreen Drive. The population that this line could serve continues to rise,
making extension of this sewer line increasingly necessary. Developments like the
Glacier Town Center create additional tax revenue that could contribute to the
extension costs.
7. The answer to Section 3.e of Part II did not include city taxes or they were not
properly designated. The environmental assessment notes on page 20 that the
approximate amount of taxes the project would have paid in 2006 were as follows:
$33,800 county, $98,900 education, $3,000 other, for a total of $135,700 in property
taxes. Are you including the city taxes as part of the county total? Along with the
new taxes and the discussion of additional costs to service providers please indicate
whether the new taxes generated from the subdivision would cover the additional
public costs as required in Section 3.f.
The project is not currently within City Limits, and therefore all additional tax
revenue to the City of Kalispell received by the proposed project will be an increase
over an existing tax base of 0. Again, most recent studies on urban -scale
developments, particularly as they relate to commercial projects, demonstrate that the
overall tax and fee benefits to municipalities clearly outweigh increased costs to
services over time.
The applicant anticipates providing additional data concerning cost / benefit analysis,
or fiscal impacts, of the proposed project prior to public hearings.
8. Part II, Section 4.b.ii asks whether groundwater supplies are likely to be
contaminated or depleted as a result of the subdivision? In the environmental
assessment, page 21, it states the following, "There will be no depletion of
groundwater in the deep alluvial aquifer on site since the development will be hooked
up to City of Kalispell public water supplies. There would be some use of ground
water from the deep alluvial aquifer during later phases of the development, when it
is likely that a ground water well will be used as an additional source of water and
water pressure to the city water lines. " Please discuss whether the future water well
has the likelihood to either contaminate or deplete groundwater supplies in the area
Phase I will not use groundwater directly from the deep alluvial aquifer. When
Wolford submits preliminary plat applications for future phases, all required
information regarding groundwater contamination or depletion, along with an
analysis of the same, will be provided as necessary.
9. Please answer Section 4. c of Part II which asks, "How would the subdivision affect
visual features within the subdivision or on adjacent land? Describe efforts to
visually blend the proposed development with the existing environment (e.g. use of
appropriate building materials, colors, road design, underground utilities, and
revegetation of earthworks). "
The management documents and covenants provide explicit, detailed guidance and
description of architectural, landscaping, and site civil engineering (utilities, roads,
etc) requirements and how those requirements have been designed to minimize the
visual impact of the project. For example, setbacks from the Stillwater River have
been designed to maintain the riparian character, height restrictions on buildings have
been designed to match the local community and preserve viewsheds, and buffers and
setbacks from roadways have been included so that the proposed development will
blend with the surrounding community. These guidelines and requirements have
been designed to honor the historical and cultural heritage of the Kalispell area while
accommodating current land use needs. Please note the building and landscaping
renderings included in the original submittal packages.
10. Please answer Section 6.d of Part II which asks "Describe public health or safety
hazards, such as dangerous traffic, fire conditions, or contamination of water
supplies which would be created by the subdivision. " The traffic impact study
submitted with the application recommends a signalized intersection at Highway 93
and Rose Crossing. This would be the last/first signal highway traffic would
encounter between Kalispell and Whitefish. The current last/first signal along
Highway 93 between Kalispell and Whitefish is at Reserve Drive and Highway 93.
This intersection has had 26 accidents in the last 3 years and is the 10`h worst
intersection in the Kalispell urban transportation area.
The project team is working with MDT to determine the traffic design that will most
effectively increase highway safety under the increased traffic loads that will
accompany the proposed project. Increased traffic does not necessarily result in
hazardous conditions. The Traffic Impact Study and the applicant's work with MDT
is for the purpose of iden ifying future traffic issues, and making / implementing
recommendations to mitigate those issues so the roads stay at an acceptable level of
service.
11. Sections 2.b and 2.c of Part III require the environmental assessment to describe the
capability of existing and pe:oposed roads to safely accommodate the increased traffic
and the increased maintenance problems and increased cost due to this increase in
traffic volume. Neither of these sections is discussed in the environmental
assessment. Although the impact study provides the level of service at key
intersections adjacent to t�'raffc
e project site no discussion is included which states
whether the existing roadways, primarily Whitefish Stage Road and Reserve Drive,
can safely handle the anticipated number of vehicle trips when the project is fully
built out
Please refer to the traffic i pact analysis for a detailed analysis of the transportation
impacts of the proposed pro ect. The project team is working with MDT and the City
of Kalispell to insure that any required mitigation measures regarding traffic impacts
are addressed through the re view of the proposed project.
12. Please provide the number of personnel available to serve the subdivision from both
the fire and police departments as required in Section 4.a of Part III. Then answer
question 4.b of Part III. The environmental assessment provides some discussion on
the possible need for three more police officers on page 19. This information and a
discussion on the fire department's personnel needs to be included
Letters of impact describing the anticipated impact of the proposed development have
been submitted to the appropriate service entities, and additional discussion will be
held to address potential increases to services provided by the fire and police
departments. The project team will work with these departments to address needs as
they are identified by the departments which are directly a result of the proposed
project.
13. Pursuant to Section S. b of Part III, please provide a list other parks and recreation
facilities or sites in the area and their approximate distance from the site.
Facility T ype
Distance
irection Area Description
City
FVCC tennis court
0.2 miles S
3.38 acres
tennis courts
complex
Kalispell Youth
0.7 miles SW
121 acres
youth baseball/softball, soccer,
Athletic Complex
and football fields; cross
country running track,
parking, concessions,
restrooms, paths
Spring Prairie Tree
1.0 mile SW
2.05 acres
playground equipment,
Park
1.0 miles SW
1.15 acres
benches, historic tree
Buffalo Head Park
I mini -park, play ound
equipment, picnicking
Park View Terrace
1.1 miles Sw
0.32 acres
pocket park, playground
Park
equipment, picnicking
Grandview Drive Park
1.1 miles
4.56 acres
natural openspace/ greenwa
Lawrence Park
1.5 miles
117.5
golf course, playground
acres
equipment; soccer and disk
£4
golf fields, trail, picnicking,
restrooms, natural open
space / greenway
Northridge Park
1.6 miles SW
9.56 acres
tennis courts, basketball court,
playground equipment,
picnicking, open space /
eenway
Eagle Park
1.7 miles SW
0.25 acres
pocket park, playground
equipment, picnicking
Sunset Park
1.9 miles SW
4.27 acres
playground equipment
Woodland Park
2.7 miles S
42.8 acres
aquatic park, gardens,
daycamp, pond, warming
d
F
hut, sledding hills, paths,
playground equipment,
picnicking, restrooms
County
Country Estates Park
0.14 miles
W
4 acres
natural open sace
Mission Village
0.73 miles ESE
1.6 acres
playground equipment, picnic
Overlook Park
tables, benches
Northaven Park
1.25 miles SW
1.1 acres
playground equipment
Kings Loop Park
1.26 miles ESE
2 acres
fishing, picnic
Fishing Access
Hillcrest Park
1.5 miles SSE
7 acres
2 softball fields, restrooms,
playground equipment
Conrad Complex
2.7 miles SSE
27.7 acres
baseball field, softball fields,
sand volleyball courts,
outdoor basketball court,
picnicking, restrooms,
concession stand
State
Old Steel Bridge
2.9 miles SE
143 acres
fishing, picnicking, boating,
MFWP Access Site
restrooms
Stillwater State Forest
3.4 miles SE
hunting, wildlife viewing,
hiking
Lone Pine SP
4.1 miles
229 acres
picnicking, wildlife viewing,
bike trail, hiking trail,
horseback trail, volleyball
court, horseshoe pit,
restrooms
Pressentine MFWP
4.3 miles
E
11 acres
fishing, boating
Access Site
Flathead Wildlife
5.3 miles SE
216 acres
wildlife viewing, hunting,
Protection Area
Commercial (examples
Northern Pincs Golf adjacent W
Club
Kalispell Athletic Club adjacent S
Court Club Tennis adjacent S
Association
boatinia, fi
golfing
gym, fitness
tennis
14. Throughout the environmental assessment it refers to exhibits and figures included
either in the assessment itself or in other areas of the application. Some of these
references do not correspond to the figures or exhibits actually provided. Please
revise the references in the environmental assessment to reflect the exhibits and
figures as labeled in the application submitted to the planning department.
EA Location
Or*
Ci
' al EA
-out
Corrected EA
Call -out
Page
Para-
graph
Line
1
3
6
Fi
es 1 and 2
same
1
3
6
E
bits A and B
same
1 1
4
2
Figure
3
same
1
4
4
E
'bits S, T and U
Exhibits N, O and P
1
6
3
Fi
re 3
same
1 2
1
3
Figure
2
same
2
1
4
Table
1
same
2
2
4
E)
hibit D
same
2
2
6
E
bit E
same
4
1
1
Fi
zure 4
same
4
1
1
Fi
3,ure 5
same
4
1
2
E
'bits S, T and U
Exhibits N, O and P
4
4
2
T
le 2
same
4
4
4
Appendix
F
same
5
1
8
A
endix G
same
5
3
1
Figure
6
same
6
1
2
Appendix
G
same
6
1
3
A
endix H
same
6
2
1
A
endix G
same
6
2
6
A
Mendix G
same
6
3
2
A
endix J
same
6
4
3
A
endix G
same
6
4
5
Appendix
K
Appendices J and K
7
2
1
Figure
7
same
7
3
8
bits T and U
Exhibits O and P
7
3
9
ndix H
same
7
4
1
JAe
re 8
same
7
4
6
re 9
same
7
5
7
1 Appendices N and 0
Appendix J
8
2
3
Figure 9a j Fie 1 0 -
8
3
?
Fi re a
Figure 10
8
3
5
Appendix J
same
8
4
3
Appendices H and I
same --
8
7
1
Pi ure 10
Fi re.11
10
11
Appendices D and E
same J
10
3
14-15
Appendices D and E
same
10
4
6
Figure 10
Fi re 11
to
5
1 Figure 12
same
10
5
]
Figure 5
same
11
4
Table 3
s�n,e
same
12 1
2
3
A end x N
14
5
6
Appendix N
sai„e
15
4
Appendix L
_
same
17
1
2
Table 1
Table 1 Section, 4, PUD,
12, Project Application
17
1
2
Fi re 3
same
18
1
Table 1
Table 1 Section 4, PUD,
12, Protect Application
19
5
4
Table 1
Table l Section 4, PUD,
12, Project Application,
1
1
11
Appendix C
Same
21
2
9
Appendix K
Figure 3
same
22
2
1
same
24
2
2
Appendix L
same
24
i
4
Appendix endix J
sarne
24
4
1
Appendix J
same -
4
5
6
A cndix N
sane
25
1
5
Appendix N
same
5
5
1
Exhibit K<
Exhibit L
25
5
1
Fxhibit L Fxhibit 1r1
Please provide the revisions to the environmental assessment and preliminary plat in both paper
copy and electronic versions in order to update the applications submitted to the planning
department.
Paper copies of the responses are hereby submitted. Electronic copies will be transmitted to the
City of Kalispell under a separate cover.
The legal description for the project site found in the petition for annexation, planned unit
development and major subdivision application, although accurate, is difficult to describe to the
public in either a staff report or legal advertisement in the paper. Please provide a list of
assessor's tracts included in the 485.5± acre site for descriptive purposes.
Assessor's Tracts Included in the Associated Geocode
Glacier Town Center Project
0000974607
07407819301350000
0000974608
07407819301400000
0000047451
07407819401100000
0000147140
07407830201300000
0000971717
07407830101500000
0000974702
07407830201400000
0000969519
07407830201050000
0000970514
07407830201010000
0000974703
07407830201100000
0000971718
07407830101200000
0000974703
07407830201150000
0000089450
07407830301600000
Please feel free to contact me with any questions regarding these responses. We look forward to
a finding of completeness to continue the process of review of the Glacier Town Center project.
Sincerely
Lull)
Debra Rosa
Project Manager
cc: Wolford Development Montana, LLC
1200 Mountain Creek Road, Suite 102
Chattanooga, TN 34715
Edwin E. and Janet J. Spannuth
PO Box 428
Lakeside, MT 59922
Hyalite Environmental, LLP
PO Box 90
Gallatin Gateway. MT 59730
Signatures
The undersigned hereby acknowledges that this Environmental Assessment was prepared
by Hyalite Environmental, LLP at the request of CTA Architects and Engineers.
Wolford Development Montana, LLC has consented to the preparation of this
Environmental Assessment and has relied on the expertise of those who have assisted
with its preparation.
•°`- � �� �oli4lo�
Date
Wolford Development Montana, LLC
1200 Mountain Creek Road, Suite 102
Chattanooga, TN 37405
/a • 23.0 7-
Date
CTA Architects Engineers
#2 Main Street, Suite 205
Kalispell, MT 59901
3•� 3 Date
Hyalite Environmental, LIT
PO Box 90
Gallatin Gateway, MT 59730
Environmental Assessment Hyalite Environmental, LLP
Glacier Town Center, Kalispell, Montana June 2007